Machine embroidery is easy, it’s the placement that’s tricky! That’s the phrase that I’ve said hundreds of times either on Sewing With Nancy or during seminars. Now I can confidently say, Machine embroidery is easy and now you can have perfect design placement! The reason? Perfect Placement Software—Wearables. The software provides two types of embroideries: Placement guidelines and beautiful embellishments.

This software is a team effort—aren’t most things in life? Eileen Roche of Designs in Machine Embroidery has the software know-how, and I worked on the placement guidelines concept. The software combines Placement Guidelines (embroideries that are outlines) plus ten decorative embroidery collections. Using the Placement Guidelines, you can see the exact design placement on your garment before you ever sit down to sew. Plus, the embroidery designs can be resized, rotated, and perfectly positioned. Let me show you how!

Step 1—Select the Placement Guide—it’s an embroidery

Here are the categories of the Placement Guidelines: pockets, yokes, pocket flaps, V-necklines, pant yokes, cuffs, and collars. Plus, you can see some of the embellishing embroideries.

Select the icon on the menu for the placement outlines.

Select the outline that visually resembles your project.

Print out the template.

Cut along the lines and position on your project to test if the two shapes are compatible.

Save the template for future projects. (Lands’ End will be getting a lot of free advertising during this blog!)

Check if a modification is needed to the outline. The center front line on the outline is too wide for my cardigan. I measured the distance between the marking on the template and the actual center front. The vertical outline should be moved 5/8″. One of the great things about the Perfect Placement Software—Wearables is that the outlines can be customized. (Wow, I need a new tape measure!)

Here’s a screen shot of how I moved the vertical outline, using the inch grids as a guide. (In the software you can choose to work in inches or millimeters.)

Step 2—Merge your favorite embellishment design

Next, select the Embroidery Icon and choose one of 10 design collections, or import designs that you already own. I selected designs from the Nancy Collection—imagine that!

Position the designs within the outline. The software will allow you to rotate, flip, and perfectly position the designs exactly where you’d like them to be!

Print out a template and double-check your work. If necessary, reposition the decorative embroidery designs.

Next, copy the design in the software and flip it for the right side embroidery.

Step 6—Clean up your work!

Note: I used a strip of painter’s tape to keep the upper neckline attached to the stabilizer.

Step 7—Add the embroidery to the other parts of the garment

I used the same hooped stabilizer and patched the openings with scrap pieces of the sticky back stabilizer.

The right front embroidery was moved down in the hoop before I stitched the placement guideline.

It was magical to see that the right side embroidery was a mirror image of the left side—aside from the addition of the fourth embroidery. The placement was perfect due to the alignment with the placement guides!

I would like to sign up for the online seminar on Totes scheduled for Saturday, April 26. Unfortunately, I work Saturdays. Is it possible to signup/pay for the seminar and watch a replay at a later date? I am hopeful!!